I just got a catalog in the mail yesterday from the Paradise Pen co.

$3,000 pen

In a word, snooty. The first pen on page 2 is on sale for the low low price of $1,115. There’s another one half way through that goes for $3,000. Yes, you read that right. You could buy 12 pens for $4 at Staples, or you could buy one pen for the price of a decent used car. Don’t get me wrong, these writing instruments are works of art, but who can afford one of these things? As I kept looking through the pages, my righteousness increased along with my distaste for snobbery until I got to page 44. “Hey that looks familiar.” I said. I think I have that one. Whoops! There goes my high and mighty attitude. I went to my art pouch and pulled out a German made LAMY fountain pen that I had received as a gift, years earlier. I looked at the price and saw that my model was only $30. “Well at least that’s reasonable for a well made fountain pen.” I thought. Others are nice to look at but the price tag is far too high. And the truth is, how much writing do we do now with ink and paper? I’m not writing this article out by hand before I post it, I’m typing on my laptop. Is writing a lost art? Here are a few of the other ones that caught my eye.